Ricky Ponting [Images] rescued Australia from an early batting collapse with a defiant century on the opening day of the first Test against West Indies [Images] in Brisbane on Thursday.

Ponting produced a perfect captain's knock of 149 after Australia's new-look batting line-up had crumbled, guiding his team out of danger to a respectable position of 340 for seven at stumps.

West Indian fast bowler Corey Collymore led the attack and ripped through Australia's struggling middle-order to finish the day with 4 for 47.

His fellow pacemen Daren Powell [Images], Fidel Edwards and Jermaine Lawson all captured one wicket each, vindicating Shivnarine Chanderpaul's [Images] surprising decision to field first in the opening Test of a three-match series.

Australian vice-captain Adam Gilchrist [Images] made a typically brisk 44 during a 104-run partnership with Ponting while opener Matthew Hayden [Images] chipped in with 37 in a 92-run stand with his skipper, but none of the other batsmen made a meaningful contribution.

Opener Mike Hussey made just one on his Test debut, Michael Clarke [Images] fell for five, Simon Katich went for a duck and all-rounder Shane Watson departed for 16, raising fresh concerns about the depth of Australia's batting in the wake of their Ashes loss to England [Images].

Called into the side when Justin Langer ruled himself out with a broken rib, Hussey departed in the sixth over when he top-edged an attempted pull shot off Powell and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin safely held the catch.

Clarke was also caught behind, nicking a swift leg-cutter from Collymore, then Katich glanced a low catch to Chris Gayle at second slip as the Australians lost three wickets for 10 runs in three overs after lunch to slump to 111-4.

Collymore also captured the vital wickets of Hayden and Gilchrist when they were in full swing, while Edwards trapped Watson leg before wicket and Lawson ended Ponting's brilliant innings when he flicked a catch straight to Marlon Samuels at mid-wicket.

THUNDEROUS OVATION

Ponting survived two dropped catches and a run-out attempt to register his 24th Test hundred, joining Indian coach Greg Chappell [Images] in fourth place on Australia's list of century-makers.

He reached triple figures off 131 balls with a square cut off Gayle that sped to the boundary rope, raising his bat in triumph to a thunderous ovation from the Gabba crowd.

Ponting was in an aggressive mood from the moment he arrived at the crease and struck a total of 15 fours in his 213-ball 316-minute innings to save Australia's blushes against a West Indian team they are expected to overwhelm.

Hayden had a life on 14 when Chanderpaul failed to hold a sharp chance at short mid-off but survived to make a valuable contribution that helped rebuild the innings.

The left-hander was in danger of being dropped until he saved his career with back-to-back centuries in the final Ashes Test and last month's win against the ICC [Images] World XI but is now back in great form.

He has had to curb his natural aggressive instincts for a more cautious approach and repelled the West Indian all-pace attack for more than two hours before Collymore dismissed him after lunch to trigger the collapse.

Gilchrist was far more adventurous, smacking six boundaries in his 64-ball cameo, but also fell lbw to Collymore just when he seemed to be heading towards a much bigger score.

Shane Warne [Images] (31) and Brett Lee [Images] (19) continued their recent form with the bat with an unbroken 46-run partnership in the last hour before stumps were drawn.

Scoreboard:
 
Australia 1st innings 
M. Hayden lbw b Collymore 37
M. Hussey c Ramdin b D. Powell 1
R. Ponting c Sarwan b Lawson 149
M. Clarke c Ramdin b Collymore 5
S. Katich c Gayle b Collymore 0
A. Gilchrist lbw b Collymore 44
S. Watson lbw b Edwards  16
S. Warne not out 31
B. Lee not out  19

Extras (b-4 lb-11 nb-19 w-4)  38

Total  (for 7 wickets, 85 overs) 340
 
Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-101, 3-108, 4-111, 5-215, 6-273, 7-294.

To bat: N. Bracken, G. McGrath 
 
Bowling: F. Edwards 17-0-77-1 (nb-10 w-2), D. Powell 14-0-65-1 (nb-2 w-2), C. Collymore 18-3-47-4, J. Lawson 12-0-58-1 (nb-6), M. Samuels 4-0-29-0, C. Gayle 20-3-49-0